At June 2011, the estimated resident population of New South Wales (NSW) was 7.21 million people, an increase of 636,300 people (10%) since June 2001.

In 2011, there were 4.61 million people residing in Greater Sydney, accounting for 64% of the total NSW population. Of the 2.61 million people living in the rest of the state, almost half were in the coastal SA4s of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, Illawarra, Richmond - Tweed, Mid North Coast and Coffs Harbour - Grafton.

The age distribution of Greater Sydney is younger than for the rest of NSW. At June 2011, 31% of Greater Sydney's population were aged 20 to 39 years, compared to 23% in the rest of NSW. In the rest of NSW, 24% of the population were aged 60 years or over, compared to 18% in Greater Sydney.

At June 2011, the median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of the NSW population was 37.7 years, an increase of 1.8 years since June 2001. Reflecting their higher life expectancy, the median age for females (38.5 years) was higher than for males (36.8).

In line with its younger age distribution, the median age of Greater Sydney (36.1 years) was lower than for the rest of NSW (40.8).

Within Greater Sydney, the SA2 with the lowest median age in 2011 was Kensington - Kingsford (28.9 years), which includes the University of NSW. Other areas with median ages below 30 years were Auburn (29.7 years) in the central west, Sydney - Haymarket - The Rocks (29.7) in the inner city, and Bidwill - Hebersham - Emerton (29.8) and Lethbridge Park - Tregear (29.9) in the west. The highest median ages within Greater Sydney were in Wentworth Falls (48.1 years) in the Blue Mountains, nearby Blackheath - Megalong Valley (46.7), and Erina - Green Point (47.2) and Toukley - Norah Heads (47.0) on the Central Coast.

Outside Greater Sydney, the ten SA2s with the highest median ages were all located on the coast. These included Tuncurry (58.8 years) and Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest (58.6) on the north coast, and Sussex Inlet - Berrara (58.1) and Narooma - Bermagui (54.3) on the south coast. The lowest median ages in the rest of NSW were in or near major regional centres. Wagga Wagga - North had the lowest median age, at 26.8 years, followed by Tamworth - West (28.1), and Shortland - Jesmond (28.8) near Newcastle.

At June 2011, there were 1.36 million children under 15 years of age in NSW, an increase of 16,100 since June 2001.

In 2011, Greater Sydney had 859,700 children, an increase of 42,300 or 5.2% between 2001 and 2011. Almost two-thirds of children in NSW resided in Greater Sydney in 2011.

The highest proportions of children within Greater Sydney were in outer suburban growth areas. In 2011, SA2s with high proportions of children under 15 years of age were Rouse Hill - Beaumont Hills and Parklea - Kellyville Ridge in Greater Sydney's north-west growth corridor, Bidwill - Hebersham - Emerton and Lethbridge Park - Tregear in outer western Sydney, Mount Annan - Currans Hill in the outer south-west, and Warnervale - Wadalba on the Central Coast (all 27%).

The SA2s with the highest proportions of children outside Greater Sydney in 2011 were located in and around rural regional centres. Tamworth - West had the highest proportion under 15 years of age, at 29%. This was followed by Moree Region (26%), and Bourke - Brewarrina, Dubbo - West, and Queanbeyan West - Jerrabomberra (all 25%). In the Wollongong and Newcastle areas, Horsley - Kembla Grange and Maryland - Fletcher - Minmi also had high proportions of children, both at 24%.

POPULATION AGED LESS THAN 15 YEARS, Statistical Areas Level 2, New South Wales - 30 June 2011

At June 2011, the working age population of NSW was 4.81 million people, around two-thirds of the state's total population. Between 2001 and 2011, the working age population in NSW increased by 433,900 people or 10%.

Just under two-thirds of the working age population of NSW lived in Greater Sydney. Over the ten years to 2011, the working age population of Greater Sydney increased by 12% compared to an increase of 6% in the rest of NSW.

High proportions of working age people resided in SA2s near the Sydney central business district. In 2011, 89% of the population in Sydney - Haymarket - The Rocks were aged 15 to 64 years, while many adjacent areas had proportions of at least 80%. These included Darlinghurst (88%), Pyrmont - Ultimo (87%) and Surry Hills (86%).

Many SA2s in or near regional cities and centres had high proportions of working age people. In 2011, 78% of residents in Newcastle - Cooks Hill were aged 15 to 64 years. There were also high proportions in nearby Wickham - Carrington - Tighes Hill (74%) and Shortland - Jesmond (71%). Other areas with high proportions of working age people were Queanbeyan - East (75%), Wollongong (73%), and Byron Bay (73%).

At June 2011, there were 1.04 million people aged 65 years and over living in NSW, representing 14% of the total population. In line with continuing ageing of the NSW population, the number of people in this age group grew by 22% between 2001 and 2011.

While almost two-thirds (64%) of the total population in NSW lived in Greater Sydney, only 56% of NSW residents aged 65 years and over resided there in 2011, indicating a preference for coastal and rural retirement.

There were high proportions of older people in long established areas or those which cater to retirees. Of the ten SA2s in Greater Sydney with the highest proportion of people aged 65 years and over, eight were on the Central Coast; Toukley - Norah Head, Erina - Green Point and Lake Munmorah - Mannering Park each had 26% of their population aged 65 years or above.

In 2011, nine of the ten SA2s in the rest of NSW with the highest proportions of people aged 65 years and over were located on the coast. These included Tuncurry (40%) and Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest (37%) on the north coast, and Sussex Inlet - Berrara (37%) and Narooma - Bermagui (29%) on the south coast. The only non-coastal SA2 in the top ten was Bowral (28%) in the Southern Highlands.

POPULATION AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER, Statistical Areas Level 2, New South Wales - 30 June 2011

At June 2011, there were 98.6 males for every 100 females in NSW. The sex ratio was slightly lower in Greater Sydney (98.2) than in the rest of NSW (98.9).

Males outnumbered females in a number of areas in and around Sydney's central business district in 2011. The SA2 of Darlinghurst had the highest sex ratio in Greater Sydney, at 142.0 males per 100 females. High sex ratios were also apparent in nearby Surry Hills (136.7), Redfern - Chippendale (125.2) and Potts Point - Woolloomooloo (118.4). Other areas with high sex ratios were Homebush Bay - Silverwater (121.9) and Parramatta - Rosehill (115.2) in western Sydney, and Yarramundi - Londonderry (116.1) in outer north-western Sydney, all of which contain male prisons. The lowest sex ratio in Greater Sydney was in Woollahra where there were 83.6 males per 100 females, followed by Kincumber - Picketts Valley (86.5) and Erina - Green Point (87.4), both on the Central Coast.

A number of rural and remote areas outside Greater Sydney had high sex ratios. In 2011, the SA2 with the highest sex ratio was Junee (which contains the Junee Correctional Centre), with 134.7 males per 100 females. This was followed by Wentworth - Balranald Region (119.7), and Far West and Jindabyne - Berridale (both 117.0). Low sex ratios were more common in larger regional centres and along the NSW north coast. The lowest sex ratio was in Wagga Wagga - North (89.2), followed by Bowral (89.3) and neighbouring Mittagong (89.4) in the Southern Highlands.

Unless otherwise noted, content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia Licence together with any terms, conditions and exclusions as set out in the website Copyright notice. For permission to do anything beyond the scope of this licence and copyright terms contact us.